L-band SAR Monitoring River Conditions of the Shimanto River, Shikoku, Japan

Abstract

Space-borne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors can provide images of vast ground surface under any weather conditions irrespective of day or night. These capabilities greatly contribute to emergency disaster monitoring. JAXA established a Working Group (WG) for flood disasters monitoring by means of SAR sensors. As members of the WG, the authors employed ALOS/PALSAR L-band SAR imagery to monitor the usual condition of the Shimanto River, Shikoku, Japan. In particular, the SAR amplitude images of holms are examined in connection with the water level of the river during the period of January 2007 through December 2008.